"This book takes you inside not only police investigations, but also the day-to-day world of police work. You'll learn how police officers work, when they work, what they wear, who they report to, and generally how they go about the business of controlling and investigating crime." "You'll find valuable information on how police officers are trained, and how they move through the ranks; the equipment they use, including firearms and investigative equipment; laws that govern and restrict police investigations, including "probable cause"; who has jurisdiction over what (state police? county sheriff? city police department?), and who does what - and when; developing suspect lists and descriptions; how evidence is handled, including the evidence room; how police officers prepare for court and the grand jury; investigative techniques for burglary and arson as well as homicide; how suspects are interrogated and handled; the police "mindset," and how police officers approach their jobs and the challenges they face; the specifics of internal investigations; records and reports, and how they are maintained." "Today's readers are more savvy than ever when it comes to crime and murder mysteries. With this comprehensive guide, your readers will be wondering "whodunit" - not questioning why your facts don't mesh."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This essential sourcebook to the police procedural offers mystery fans fully annotated entries on 1,115 titles by 271 authors in the genre. The perfect guide to classic novels by Lawrence Treat, Ngaio Marsh, and John Creasey, the volume also covers more recent works by such leading writers as Patricia Cornwell, Ed McBain, and Tony Hillerman. As with previous volumes in this series detailed cross-reference listings, including Pseudonyms, Creators and Series Characters, and Periods, Locations, and Setting of the stories, as well as the addition of chapters on novels featuring serial killers and on U.S. and U.K. police agencies, make this one-of-a-kind reference an invaluable resource for fans, occasional readers, and mystery book collectors alike.

This new, fully updated edition of The Crime Writer's Guide to Police Practice and Procedure is the essential detective in your pocket - something to reach for when your writing needs that short, sharp shock of modern-day investigating. Every writer has paused at some key point in the development of their story to wonder what happens in real life. How would the murder in my story be investigated by the police? How far can I go without leaving holes in the plot? Can I use low count DNA to identify the killer? How does a cop react to a bloated body or, even worse, just part of one? Written with answers to these questions in mind, this is the essential guide to police procedures and practice written specifically for writers. A handy reference book to dip into, or a textbook to guide you from the outset while you are still developing your plot, this second edition of The Crime Writer's Guide to Police Practice and Procedure will leave you confident that you have covered all angles of your thriller. It would be a crime not to read it!

Whether they're writing a short detective story, crime novel, or something else, writers at every level--and in every genre--can find the information they need to make their work more accurate and gripping in this reference that cuts through the medical jargon to address everything from a poison's symptoms and reactions to how it can be administered.

This 396-page book provides specific guidance on pre-trial criminal procedure of all sorts, and explains in understandable terms what you can do and what you can't do under 4th Amendment search and seizure law. From traffic checkpoints and forceful felony arrest, from Miranda warnings to inmate and cell searches, it's all covered in this concise reference. In addition, numerous charts and guides are included throughout the book to make this as practical a guide as possible.

Deciding what to read next when you've just finished an unputdownable novel can be a daunting task. The Bloomsbury Good Reading Guide features hundreds of authors and thousands of titles, with navigation features to lead you on a rich journey through some the best literature to grace our shelves. This greatly expanded edition includes the latest contemporary authors and landmark novels, an expanded non-fiction section, a timeline setting historical events against literary milestones, prize-winner and book club lists. An accessible and easy-to-read guide that no serious book lover should be without. "The essential guide to the wild uncharted world of contemporary and 20th century writing." Robert McCrum, The Observer

James Lee Burke is an acclaimed writer of crime novels in which protagonists battle low-life thugs who commit violent crimes and corporate executives who exploit the powerless. He is best known for his Dave Robicheaux series, set in New Orleans and the surrounding bayou country. With characters inspired by his own family, Burke uses the mystery genre to explore the nature of evil and an individual's responsibility to friends, family and society at large. This companion to his works provides a commentary on all of the characters, settings, events and themes in his novels and short stories, along with a critical discussion of his writing style, technique and literary devices. Glossaries describe the people and places and define unfamiliar terms. Selected interviews provide background information on both the writer and his stories.